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Morning After Week 8 - SF: "They Not Like Us"
A depleted 49ers team needing a bye week makes normal work of Cowboys yet again.
Bob Sturm
Oct 28, 2024
The speakers at Levi Stadium were blaring Kendrick Lamar at every opportunity in the second half of the 30-24 49ers win over the Cowboys on Sunday Night.
“They not like us. They not like us. They not like us.”
The music was not random, albeit a radio-friendly edit. They have been saying it for some years out here, but finally, there was an anthem that has been recorded since the last time the Cowboys visited.
Kendrick certainly wasn’t thinking about the 49ers' ownership of the Cowboys during this era when he recorded this diss track dedicated to Drake, but it has been borrowed for just this occasion.
The 49ers still chase that same Super Bowl title that Dallas does, as their drought is even longer than Dallas’—by one whole year. However, their 30-year anniversary seems to be a more relevant conversation at present, as the 49ers have been in four NFC Championship Games in the last five years and two Super Bowls. Yes, they fell short in both despite being one throw away each time—and to make matters worse, they were one throw away with two different QBs playing for them.
In fact, San Francisco has run the NFC over this half-decade just as they threatened to run it a decade ago when they went to three NFC Championship Games in three years and were also just one throw away from winning yet another Super Bowl.
That’s right. Since 2011, they have been to seven different NFC Championship Games and played in three different Super Bowls with three different quarterbacks and two different coaches. In each of those three Super Bowls, they were in a position to win, but the moment got away from them each time.
Therefore, it is true—the 49ers have gone longer in their Lombardi Trophy drought. They have waited since 1994, and the Cowboys since 1995. But it is pretty clear that this is where the comparisons should probably stop.
Because, it is true. They not like us.
It is true in nearly every way and perhaps best seen last night when the two teams were asked to share a field and present their products for the world to see.
The 49ers are badly depleted by injury. They have been hit hard, with key players like Christian McCaffrey and Brandon Aiyuk dealing with major issues that have sidelined them. Jauan Jennings is unavailable, too. On defense, Javon Hargrave, Dre Greenlaw, and Talanoa Hufanga are all starters they've been missing. We could probably mention that George Kittle and Deebo Samuel were injury questions all week, but I doubt anyone would believe it based on what we witnessed last night.
They have also lost a few games they let slip away. They surely feel pretty silly about giving up double-digit leads late to the Rams and Cardinals, which has put them in a mess where they actually enter a game against the Cowboys with a worse record at the end of October. I suppose in most cases, your record is what it says you are, but most would say that only fluke outcomes are keeping the 49ers from being in the race again near the top of the NFC. Detroit is surely looking much stronger than they are, but nobody would count these guys out. Nobody.
Why? Because they have credibility in a crisis. They have the respect of the league, knowing they will fight through adversity and dig deeper. The guys who can get on the field will get out there and fight their tails off for the cause. What cause is that? The cause of not letting down the organization they represent, because the culture would forbid that very thing. You wear this shirt and this logo on your helmet proudly because it comes with a job to do and a responsibility that anyone who calls themselves a member of this organization understands.
The guys who can go this week against Dallas will get out there and show them that, even off a bye week, they will not be able to match those of us who are left. Why? Simple.
They not like us.
That, my friends, is what we call a very healthy winning and demanding culture in a league where fraudulent cultures are quickly dispensed with.
We have spoken at great length many times about the current state of the Cowboys' culture, and as I watched that game materialize, I was certainly wondering if the team would respond like they did in Pittsburgh a few weeks back. That group was down much of their defense and was playing in a hostile setting where there is also an ethos and culture built to beat rivals who dare come into our building. But on that night, Dallas avoided any catastrophic onslaughts like the 3rd quarter last night.
The Cowboys actually held a halftime lead in this game—something they haven’t done often this year, but they were up 10-6 at the intermission. It wasn’t a perfect 1st half at all, but the offense actually got some things cooking, including two very nice drives that even showed some solid abilities on 3rd downs, converting and continuing down the field four times in a row (I don’t wish to spoil anything for you, but those were the four 3rd down conversions of the entire game as they finished 4 for 12). They probably could have scored touchdowns to end both drives, but a jump ball to rookie Brevyn Spann-Ford was knocked away by rookie Malik Mustapha before Spann-Ford could secure it in the back of the end zone. However, it was a catch that was available. Mustapha, by the way, was taken with the Niners draft pick that Dallas gave for Trey Lance.
Regardless, Dallas was pleased to reach halftime with a lead and what appeared to be a very beatable 49ers offense. We have seen them struggle in their last two home games against Arizona and Kansas City, and the injuries keep mounting.
In fact, RB Jordan Mason, who was 2nd in the NFL in rushing entering the weekend, left the game hobbled in the middle of the 2nd quarter. San Francisco had understudies everywhere, and the only RB left was the third-string rookie they took in the 4th round, Isaac Guerendo. Guerendo, taken with the Niners' actual 4th-round pick—five selections after the Trey Lance return was taken in April—would have a tremendous night with 102 yards of offense and a touchdown in his first big night in the NFL. He would join fellow rookies WR Ricky Pearsall (a 1st-rounder who has returned from a gunshot absence) and starting RG Dominick Puni on that offense, which would find its feet in the 2nd half and start pushing Dallas around. Puni is the highest-rated rookie guard in the league right now at PFF and has been excellent, both last night and all season. In other words, 49ers rookies were all over the field contributing on the positive side of the ledger.
Then the 3rd quarter avalanche:
The 49ers must have said a few things in the locker room that fired some folks up. We could argue that Brock Purdy, in particular, took some initiative because he seemed to be playing differently in the 3rd quarter, as he was surely being a bit cautious in the 1st half after an interception-filled loss to the Chiefs. But right on the first possession, he started using his feet—something the Cowboys don’t seem to have available at their QB position anymore—and making things happen.
Then, with 13:38 left in the quarter, a 1st down throw to George Kittle—a short and harmless toss over the middle—became a 43-yard explosion down to the Dallas 4. It was a 1st down blitz over Kittle from Marist Liufau that Purdy read easily and simply threw into the pressure, knowing Kittle had a free release against Cover-1. This means Donovan Wilson is covering from depth, and the issue with that is once Kittle gets moving, he isn’t being chased down by Wilson until massive damage is done. On the next play, Guerendo dives in, and the 49ers have the lead, 13-10.
Dallas’ next drive starts at their 11 because the special teams committed a penalty. On 3rd and 4, with the stadium coming to life, Dak Prescott continues to slump, rolling left and forcing a late ball that wasn’t available into CeeDee Lamb down the sideline. Deommodore Lenoir is playing zone on that side and is able to drop right into the path of the ball as Lamb cannot reverse his momentum and get there in time. It is an awful decision, where available options were limited—Jalen Brooks was probably open but too late to see—and a punt would have been the correct alternative. The giveaway offers the 49ers even more energy and a multiple-turnover battle advantage, which we know Dallas does not overcome these days.
49ers' ball at the Dallas 32, and they now smell blood. Purdy scrambles again for a 1st down, and then on 3rd and goal, the candidate for the most bizarre call of the day was this penalty that was discussed and picked up:
Look, folks, George Kittle on this concept near the end zone is already unstoppable. If you allow Chris Conley to truck Kittle’s man in the deep red zone, then trying to defend this whole thing becomes pretty pointless. I cannot believe two officials threw their flags only to huddle and agree that there was no penalty. I admit I am probably missing some information, but going back and listening to Terry McAulay on NBC assure us that there was nothing illegal seemed to crack up Cris Collinsworth as much as the rest of us.
Regardless, now it’s 20-10, and the Cowboys are in trouble unless they respond quickly.
They do not respond, as a three-and-out is highlighted by a 3rd down play where Nick Bosa flushes Prescott, chasing him at high speed, and Fred Warner is also closing in as Prescott has literally nowhere to go. His targets—KaVontae Turpin and Jalen Tolbert—are both running out of bounds and into each other.
Prescott has to be much better, but they have provided him with no answers. The weapons are not threatening besides CeeDee Lamb. The protection is poor. The scheme is clearly not offering solutions, and Prescott is running for his life. Find a QB who can make this work with all of that working against him. Both can be true: he has been bad, and the team has failed him.
To complete the quarter, the 49ers take the ball for the third time and check all the boxes. Purdy scrambles for 16 and a 1st down. Purdy hits Kittle for 27 and a 1st down. Purdy hits Deebo for 16 and a 1st down. And then the Purdy QB sneak is apparently close enough that the refs just say the ball crossed the plane.
27-10.
The third quarter went TD-TD-TD for the Niners and the Cowboys threw a pick and went 3-and-out.
San Francisco had 21 plays for 167 yards and 7.95 per play for 21 points.
Dallas had 7 plays for 16 yards for 2.29 yards per play with no points.
And that is how you convert a halftime lead into a 17-point deficit before the fourth quarter begins.
Now, yes, the Cowboys did the most torturous thing possible to their fans who stayed with them until the end. They rallied courageously and actually had a chance with the ball, down 30-24 with plenty of time. But, just like Brevyn Spann-Ford having a touchdown in both hands and not closing the deal, Prescott dropped a beautiful 3rd-and-10 pass right into Turpin’s hands down the sideline from 49.9 yards away (according to NextGen Stats). And, like Spann-Ford, Turpin was not equal to the challenge of a big moment. His QB cannot catch it for him, and the 4th down pass to Jalen Brooks did not earn a pass interference call, either.
Dallas could not make the plays at the moment of truth. They could not snap their run of poor play against San Francisco. Again, their QB could not outplay the opposing QB. And again, Dallas could not get a single defensive takeaway from the Niners.
The evidence is everywhere and while frustrating to argue as it plays again from the Levi’s Stadium speakers and the fans join in:
“They not like us. They not like us. They not like us.”
A depleted 49ers team needing a bye week makes normal work of Cowboys yet again.
Bob Sturm
Oct 28, 2024
The speakers at Levi Stadium were blaring Kendrick Lamar at every opportunity in the second half of the 30-24 49ers win over the Cowboys on Sunday Night.
“They not like us. They not like us. They not like us.”
The music was not random, albeit a radio-friendly edit. They have been saying it for some years out here, but finally, there was an anthem that has been recorded since the last time the Cowboys visited.
Kendrick certainly wasn’t thinking about the 49ers' ownership of the Cowboys during this era when he recorded this diss track dedicated to Drake, but it has been borrowed for just this occasion.
The 49ers still chase that same Super Bowl title that Dallas does, as their drought is even longer than Dallas’—by one whole year. However, their 30-year anniversary seems to be a more relevant conversation at present, as the 49ers have been in four NFC Championship Games in the last five years and two Super Bowls. Yes, they fell short in both despite being one throw away each time—and to make matters worse, they were one throw away with two different QBs playing for them.
In fact, San Francisco has run the NFC over this half-decade just as they threatened to run it a decade ago when they went to three NFC Championship Games in three years and were also just one throw away from winning yet another Super Bowl.
That’s right. Since 2011, they have been to seven different NFC Championship Games and played in three different Super Bowls with three different quarterbacks and two different coaches. In each of those three Super Bowls, they were in a position to win, but the moment got away from them each time.
Therefore, it is true—the 49ers have gone longer in their Lombardi Trophy drought. They have waited since 1994, and the Cowboys since 1995. But it is pretty clear that this is where the comparisons should probably stop.
Because, it is true. They not like us.
It is true in nearly every way and perhaps best seen last night when the two teams were asked to share a field and present their products for the world to see.
The 49ers are badly depleted by injury. They have been hit hard, with key players like Christian McCaffrey and Brandon Aiyuk dealing with major issues that have sidelined them. Jauan Jennings is unavailable, too. On defense, Javon Hargrave, Dre Greenlaw, and Talanoa Hufanga are all starters they've been missing. We could probably mention that George Kittle and Deebo Samuel were injury questions all week, but I doubt anyone would believe it based on what we witnessed last night.
They have also lost a few games they let slip away. They surely feel pretty silly about giving up double-digit leads late to the Rams and Cardinals, which has put them in a mess where they actually enter a game against the Cowboys with a worse record at the end of October. I suppose in most cases, your record is what it says you are, but most would say that only fluke outcomes are keeping the 49ers from being in the race again near the top of the NFC. Detroit is surely looking much stronger than they are, but nobody would count these guys out. Nobody.
Why? Because they have credibility in a crisis. They have the respect of the league, knowing they will fight through adversity and dig deeper. The guys who can get on the field will get out there and fight their tails off for the cause. What cause is that? The cause of not letting down the organization they represent, because the culture would forbid that very thing. You wear this shirt and this logo on your helmet proudly because it comes with a job to do and a responsibility that anyone who calls themselves a member of this organization understands.
The guys who can go this week against Dallas will get out there and show them that, even off a bye week, they will not be able to match those of us who are left. Why? Simple.
They not like us.
That, my friends, is what we call a very healthy winning and demanding culture in a league where fraudulent cultures are quickly dispensed with.
We have spoken at great length many times about the current state of the Cowboys' culture, and as I watched that game materialize, I was certainly wondering if the team would respond like they did in Pittsburgh a few weeks back. That group was down much of their defense and was playing in a hostile setting where there is also an ethos and culture built to beat rivals who dare come into our building. But on that night, Dallas avoided any catastrophic onslaughts like the 3rd quarter last night.
The Cowboys actually held a halftime lead in this game—something they haven’t done often this year, but they were up 10-6 at the intermission. It wasn’t a perfect 1st half at all, but the offense actually got some things cooking, including two very nice drives that even showed some solid abilities on 3rd downs, converting and continuing down the field four times in a row (I don’t wish to spoil anything for you, but those were the four 3rd down conversions of the entire game as they finished 4 for 12). They probably could have scored touchdowns to end both drives, but a jump ball to rookie Brevyn Spann-Ford was knocked away by rookie Malik Mustapha before Spann-Ford could secure it in the back of the end zone. However, it was a catch that was available. Mustapha, by the way, was taken with the Niners draft pick that Dallas gave for Trey Lance.
Regardless, Dallas was pleased to reach halftime with a lead and what appeared to be a very beatable 49ers offense. We have seen them struggle in their last two home games against Arizona and Kansas City, and the injuries keep mounting.
In fact, RB Jordan Mason, who was 2nd in the NFL in rushing entering the weekend, left the game hobbled in the middle of the 2nd quarter. San Francisco had understudies everywhere, and the only RB left was the third-string rookie they took in the 4th round, Isaac Guerendo. Guerendo, taken with the Niners' actual 4th-round pick—five selections after the Trey Lance return was taken in April—would have a tremendous night with 102 yards of offense and a touchdown in his first big night in the NFL. He would join fellow rookies WR Ricky Pearsall (a 1st-rounder who has returned from a gunshot absence) and starting RG Dominick Puni on that offense, which would find its feet in the 2nd half and start pushing Dallas around. Puni is the highest-rated rookie guard in the league right now at PFF and has been excellent, both last night and all season. In other words, 49ers rookies were all over the field contributing on the positive side of the ledger.
Then the 3rd quarter avalanche:
The 49ers must have said a few things in the locker room that fired some folks up. We could argue that Brock Purdy, in particular, took some initiative because he seemed to be playing differently in the 3rd quarter, as he was surely being a bit cautious in the 1st half after an interception-filled loss to the Chiefs. But right on the first possession, he started using his feet—something the Cowboys don’t seem to have available at their QB position anymore—and making things happen.
Then, with 13:38 left in the quarter, a 1st down throw to George Kittle—a short and harmless toss over the middle—became a 43-yard explosion down to the Dallas 4. It was a 1st down blitz over Kittle from Marist Liufau that Purdy read easily and simply threw into the pressure, knowing Kittle had a free release against Cover-1. This means Donovan Wilson is covering from depth, and the issue with that is once Kittle gets moving, he isn’t being chased down by Wilson until massive damage is done. On the next play, Guerendo dives in, and the 49ers have the lead, 13-10.
Dallas’ next drive starts at their 11 because the special teams committed a penalty. On 3rd and 4, with the stadium coming to life, Dak Prescott continues to slump, rolling left and forcing a late ball that wasn’t available into CeeDee Lamb down the sideline. Deommodore Lenoir is playing zone on that side and is able to drop right into the path of the ball as Lamb cannot reverse his momentum and get there in time. It is an awful decision, where available options were limited—Jalen Brooks was probably open but too late to see—and a punt would have been the correct alternative. The giveaway offers the 49ers even more energy and a multiple-turnover battle advantage, which we know Dallas does not overcome these days.
49ers' ball at the Dallas 32, and they now smell blood. Purdy scrambles again for a 1st down, and then on 3rd and goal, the candidate for the most bizarre call of the day was this penalty that was discussed and picked up:
Look, folks, George Kittle on this concept near the end zone is already unstoppable. If you allow Chris Conley to truck Kittle’s man in the deep red zone, then trying to defend this whole thing becomes pretty pointless. I cannot believe two officials threw their flags only to huddle and agree that there was no penalty. I admit I am probably missing some information, but going back and listening to Terry McAulay on NBC assure us that there was nothing illegal seemed to crack up Cris Collinsworth as much as the rest of us.
Regardless, now it’s 20-10, and the Cowboys are in trouble unless they respond quickly.
They do not respond, as a three-and-out is highlighted by a 3rd down play where Nick Bosa flushes Prescott, chasing him at high speed, and Fred Warner is also closing in as Prescott has literally nowhere to go. His targets—KaVontae Turpin and Jalen Tolbert—are both running out of bounds and into each other.
Prescott has to be much better, but they have provided him with no answers. The weapons are not threatening besides CeeDee Lamb. The protection is poor. The scheme is clearly not offering solutions, and Prescott is running for his life. Find a QB who can make this work with all of that working against him. Both can be true: he has been bad, and the team has failed him.
To complete the quarter, the 49ers take the ball for the third time and check all the boxes. Purdy scrambles for 16 and a 1st down. Purdy hits Kittle for 27 and a 1st down. Purdy hits Deebo for 16 and a 1st down. And then the Purdy QB sneak is apparently close enough that the refs just say the ball crossed the plane.
27-10.
The third quarter went TD-TD-TD for the Niners and the Cowboys threw a pick and went 3-and-out.
San Francisco had 21 plays for 167 yards and 7.95 per play for 21 points.
Dallas had 7 plays for 16 yards for 2.29 yards per play with no points.
And that is how you convert a halftime lead into a 17-point deficit before the fourth quarter begins.
Now, yes, the Cowboys did the most torturous thing possible to their fans who stayed with them until the end. They rallied courageously and actually had a chance with the ball, down 30-24 with plenty of time. But, just like Brevyn Spann-Ford having a touchdown in both hands and not closing the deal, Prescott dropped a beautiful 3rd-and-10 pass right into Turpin’s hands down the sideline from 49.9 yards away (according to NextGen Stats). And, like Spann-Ford, Turpin was not equal to the challenge of a big moment. His QB cannot catch it for him, and the 4th down pass to Jalen Brooks did not earn a pass interference call, either.
Dallas could not make the plays at the moment of truth. They could not snap their run of poor play against San Francisco. Again, their QB could not outplay the opposing QB. And again, Dallas could not get a single defensive takeaway from the Niners.
The evidence is everywhere and while frustrating to argue as it plays again from the Levi’s Stadium speakers and the fans join in:
“They not like us. They not like us. They not like us.”
